According to a recent study conducted by the US Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, it has been discovered that the virus responsible for Covid-19 was transmitted to wild white-tailed deer in the United States more than 100 times during late 2021 and early 2022. This finding indicates that the infection spread extensively within the deer population, and there are even instances where researchers suspect that humans contracted the virus from deer.

1. Deer, covid19 and human
According to a recent study conducted by the US Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service, it has been discovered that the virus responsible for Covid-19 was transmitted to
wild white-tailed deer in the United States more than 100 times during late 2021 and early 2022. This
finding indicates that the infection spread extensively within the deer population, and there are even
instances where researchers suspect that humans contracted the virus from deer.
Additionally, the study revealed that various coronavirus variants such as Alpha, Delta, and Omicron
continued to circulate among deer even after they had left the human population. This suggests that if
the virus persists in deer similar to its circulation in humans, these animals could serve as a long-term
reservoir, allowing the virus to remain hidden and potentially develop new and more dangerous
mutations.
Scientists are concerned that these viruses could eventually re-enter the human population and trigger
another severe wave, similar to what happened with the sudden emergence of the Omicron variant.
However, it's important to note that this scenario remains largely theoretical.
Experts emphasize that the existence of a reservoir in wild animals would be a more significant concern
if we had effectively controlled the virus among humans. Unfortunately, the infection continues to
spread within the human population, making us the preferred hosts for the virus and increasing the
likelihood of mutations occurring in humans.
The US government plans to expand its animal survey efforts to monitor the movement of the virus in
animal populations. This ongoing monitoring aims to understand how the virus spreads among different
species. However, controlling its transmission in deer is challenging, and vaccinating wild animal
populations against the virus is a costly endeavor.
Deer are of particular interest in this study due to the striking similarity between the ACE2 receptors
found in deer and humans. These receptors serve as gateways for the virus to enter cells, making deer
susceptible to infection.
During the study, researchers collected nearly 9,000 respiratory swabs from wild deer in 26 states and
the District of Columbia. Analysis of these swabs yielded approximately 400 viral sequences from 34
lineages of the Covid-19-causing virus. By closely comparing these sequences, scientists were able to
identify viruses in humans that closely matched those found in deer.

2. In 109 instances, the researchers demonstrated that deer had been infected by human viruses.
Furthermore, genetic sequences of viruses previously carried by deer closely matched those found in
humans in at least three cases, suggesting the possibility of humans contracting the virus from direct
contact with these animals.
In conclusion, this study sheds light on the transmission of Covid-19 from humans to wild deer and
raises concerns about the potential for deer to serve as long-term reservoirs for the virus, facilitating the
development of new and potentially more dangerous variants. Monitoring and understanding the virus's
circulation in animal populations, including deer, will be crucial to mitigate future risks and prevent
further spread of the virus.